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Sgt. Kirk Allen Straseskie, U.S.M.C (NCD)
SSgt. Aaron Dean White, U.S.M.C (NCD)
OKLAHOMA CITY "There they are," Darrell White said as a group of Marines circled
his block.
They had been there a day and a half earlier to tell White and his wife, Karen, that the "duty whereabouts" of their son, Staff Sgt. Aaron Dean White, were unknown.
On Wednesday they confirmed his worst fear -- that Aaron White was among four Marines killed when their transport helicopter crashed into a canal in central Iraq shortly after takeoff.
"They were talking on a phone as they circled the block again," Darrell White said. "They were talking to the other group of Marines who were going to tell Michele (Aaron's wife). They were doing that so we were all told at the exact same time."
Darrell White said he would like to talk to the family of a fifth Marine who drowned trying to save Aaron and the others.
That man -- Sgt. Kirk Allen Straseskie, 23, of Beaver Dam, Wis. -- was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, from Camp Pendleton.
On Friday, White got the opportunity to express his appreciation in a telephone conversation.
He told Straseskie's father, John Straseskie, he was "calling to tell you how proud I am of the brave act your son did trying to save mine," and "you raised a mighty fine son."
"If there's anything we can do, anything, let us know. We'll be thinking about you," he added to Straseskie, who thanked him for making the call.
Also killed Monday in the helicopter, along with White, were Capt. Andrew David Lamont, 31, of Eureka, Calif.; Lance Cpl. Jason William Moore, 21, of San Marcos, Calif., and 1st Lt. Timothy Louis Ryan, 30, of Aurora, Ill. They were assigned to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364 of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing at Camp Pendleton, Calif.
The CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter crashed in the Shat al-Hillah Canal near the city of Hillah, about 60 miles south of Baghdad, according to a U.S. Central Command statement. It was on a resupply mission.
The cause of the accident is under investigation.
Karen White said next to his wife and child, her son loved flying.
"That's the reason he volunteered. He told me Mom, I want to do it.' He didn't have to be a pilot -- he simply loved being in the air."
Darrell White said his son drew pictures of planes on the envelopes he sent to the family. A drawing Aaron White did as a child still hangs in his parents' kitchen.
Besides his parents and wife, White leaves behind a daughter, Brianna Nicole, who turned 1 on Saturday, and his sister, Patricia LaBar, who is also in the military.
For his parents, accepting Aaron White's death has come slowly.
"I'm sure it will get me when I see him," Darrell White said. "We know he's gone, but it doesn't seem real yet."